Chain control for splicing attachments



A. E. PAGE 1 J CHAIN CONTROL FOR SPLICING ATTACHMENTS Filed July 25, 1929 4 shaeets-Sheet l 2 W 7 III/.1. 9

5510; W L I f INVENTOR ALBERT E. PAGE y 7221s aZZarzzefya Aug. 30, 1932. v A; PAGE 1,874,342

CHAIN CONTROL FOR SPLICING ATTACHMENTS Filed July 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tic. 2.

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5- m l )5: V L i 5 T i INVENTOF! ALBERT EPAGE 77113 az-z-o rnqy s' 30, 1932. A 5 PAGE 1,874,342

CHAIN CONTROL FOR SPLICING ATTACHMENTS Filed July 25, 1929 4 SheetsSheet" INVENTOR the rear of the same machine.

Patented Aug. 30, 19 32 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ALBERT E. PAGE, or mu new YORK, asslenon 'ro scorer a wxnnmns, mooarona'rnn, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A conrona'rron or massacnosn'r'rs cnamconrnbn ron srmcme arracnmm'rs Application filed mi 25,

This invention relates to an attachment for circular knitting machines by which a spliced area of varying widthmay be formed tion, i. e., widened or narrowed, through suc 1 cessive courses and in Wl'llCh the changes from an area of one sort to an area of another sort may be frequent and may beat any point in the length of the fabr1c.-

A preferred embodiment of the inventlon described hereinafter and is illustrated in the accompanying sheets of drawings to which in the course of the description, reference is made.

' In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a partial view in elevation of one side ofa ci-rcular'knitting machine to which the present invention has beenapplied. 1 p

Figure 2 is a partial view in elevation of Figure 3 is a View in elevation of the front of the same part of the machine shown in Figure 2. a 1 I Figure 4: is a partial, skeleton view from the front of a circular knitting machine having a modified form ofchain control for the splicing attachment shownherein.

Figure 5 is a diagram 'of thefoot of a stocking which may be made by use of'the I present invention.

Figurefi is an end view of the cam drum showing the reversible drive mechanism .for the movablecam segments. v 5

Figure 7is a view ofthe same cam drum, partly in section,taken from the left side of Figure 6. i I r. 1 Figure 8 is a development of the camseg- .ments of the cam drum shown in Figures 16 and 7, the movable members being their 1929. Serial No. 380,909..

outermost position forming practically a full circumference high portion.

Figure 9 is a similar view but with the movable members in their side by side position forming the maximum lowportion.

In the drawings and description the invention is shown and described as it is applied to the well known Scott.& .Williams type of seamless hosiery machine with revolvin needle cylinder but it should be understoo that the invention is applicable to many other types of seamless hosiery machine. The machine has the usualneedle cylinder 260revolubly mounted in the bedplate B and yarn fingers such as the splicing yarn finger F mounted above the needle cylinder'on a pin 554 on'the pivoted latch ring 550. This latch ring is pivoted on a bracket 401 on the bedplate B, as usual. The yarn fingers are adapted to be lifted out of and loweredinto operative position by thrust rods 460 controlled by the usual cam lugs 501 on the main pattern drum 120 which is racked around at irregular intervals throughout the making of. the stocking by anysuitable mechanism, such for instance as is shown in the'patent to Robert W; 'Scott Number 1,152,850 granted September 7, 1915. The needle cyllnder is adapted to reciprocate or rotate, the reciprocating movement being obtained from a segment gear (not shown) by means of a train of gears includmg a constantly revolving gear This construction is known and needs no further description;

horizontal shaft 12 which is mounted at the back of the knitting machine in spaced brackets 13 and 18. The shaft 12 is driven by the engagement of a small pinion 14 fixed on its end with. the continuously revolving gear 60 which drives the segment gear or quadrant in thevusual manner. The gear ratio is such that the cam drum 10 turns once for each revolution of the needle cylinder. This cam drumcauses the raising and lowering of the The variable cam drum 10 turns with a that course 'during. such .period..

splicing yarn finger F by its action upon a link which is attached at one end to the outer end of the yarn finger F and at its lower end to a reverse motion lever 17 ivoted at 16 on the shaft bracket 18 so that its free end may reston the cam drum 10. The free end of the lever 17 is extended laterally as at 19 to give a wide bearing surface over the drum.

The yarn finger F being in its yarn feeding position, that is, resting on the throat plate 559, by reason of the main pattern drums having been turned until there is no cam lug under the thrust rod 460, the extent of each course through which the yarn finger is in that position is determined by the cam drum 10. Thus the main pattern drum which controls various operatio'ns'of the machine in a predetermined time relation, determines the period in which the yarn finger may be "lowered to feeding position; while the rotary cam drum 10 determines the extent of "aicourse through which the splicing yarn is fed to The variable cam drum 10 is described and claimed in PatentNo. 1,848,970, issued March '8, 1932 to ExiliasE. Paquette, and isshown here in Figs. 1 and 6-9 inclusive.

- The variable cam drum 10 is made up principally of a cylindrical body-20, two cam segments .21 and 22 on its periphery forming togetherracam with relatively variable high and low portions and a mechanism for moving these segments's'multaneously in opposite directions about the axis of the drum and for reversing their movements.

Each cam segment is formed of two members, an outer cam piece, e. g. 21?, which extends about half way around the drum, :and an inner ring, e. g; 21 whichsurrounds the cylindrical body 20. The two inner rings .21" and 22 are spaced axially on the cylinder 20 and each is toothed on its inward face over about half of its'c'srcumference'to form a rack. The cam pieces 21 and 22 are wider than the'rings and are so secured to the rings by screws 23 that their inward faces have but a very slight clearance. Retaining col- 1ars'24 are removably secured to the cylinder 20 by set screws and serve to hold the cam segments :from ax al movement on the drum.

The cam segments21, 22 are moved simul* taneously in opposite direct-ions aboutthe axis of the drum by a small pinion 26 on the outer end of a spindle 27 whiohis so mounted on a rad'al axis that it placesthe'pinion between the two rings 21 and 22 and in engagement with the rack teeth-of both. The lower end of the spindle 27 rests on a thin hard metal piece 28 atthebottom of a small radial bore 29; Alla-rger radial bore'30 intersects a bore 31 at right angles theretoextending from one end of the cylinder 20 parallel to the axis but eccentric to it. The intersection-of the two provides a chamber for game a worm 32 and wheel 33. The wheel is secured to the radial spindle 27 while the worm is mounted to turn with a short shaft 34 extending through the bore 31 which is parallel to the drum axis. The spindle 27 is supported, above the wheel 33, by an insert 35 which rests in a counterbore 36 of larger diameter than the bore in which the wheel turns. Washers 37 are placed on either side of the wheel between it and the insert on the one side and the bottom ofthe bore 30 on the other side.

The worm shaft 34 extends beyond the end wall of the cylinder 20 to receive its driving parts. A collar 38 is held on the shaft by a set screw 39 and thus provides an abutment against which there rests a ratchet wheel 40. On the other or outer side of the ratchet is a leather disc 41 and beyond that a collar 42 and the end portion of a spring presser 43, all held in place by the head of a screw 44 that threads into an axial bore in the outer end of the worm shaft. The spring presser 43 is a piece of leaf spring fixed at one end on a post rigid with the drum and slotted at its other end to straddle the screw head 44 and to engage the collar 43. The ratchet, the leather disc and the collar are not secured to the shaft positively but normally they turn with it by reason of being pressed against the inner collar '38 which is fixed to the-shaft. The worm :shaft 34 is held from endwise "movement by a small screw 45 wh ch extends from the outside of the cylinder 20 to engage a groove 46 in the shaft.

- The ratchet may be turned in-either direction and for this purpose two pawls are provided, one for turning the ratchet in one direction and the other for turning it in the opposite direction. One paw'l is formed somewhat as a toggle having two parts hinged together as at 47 in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7. One part 48 of this pawl is pivoted,

at itsendgawa-y from the joint ona fixed pin 49 extending from the end of the cylinder a-tapoint remote from the axis thereof. The

free end of 'lIhQ'Ollll'iI PilI'b-HQS :near the ratchet wheel being drawn inward against :a fixed guide, pin 50 by a spring 51 which is connected between the two parts of the pawl across the joint 47. Aspring 52 held atone end to the cylinder 20 and-at the-other to a projection of the pivoted .part 48 beyond'the pivot 49, tends :to swing the pawl away from the ratchet wheel.

The otherpawl similarly is made up of two parts, one of which is pivoted. This latter part is a lever pivoted at a central point on a pin 53 fixed to 'the end ofthe cylinder in suc'ha waytha'tone arm 5'4 of the lever extends out from the drum-substantially radially while the other arm 55 lies toward the other pawl. ZThis', inward. arm: is drawn toward a stop pin 56 by aspring 57 and'carries a pivot pin 58 for the member 59 which engages the ratchet. This ratchet engaging member 59 is drawn by a spring 61 towards a guide pin 62 extending GIIdWISB from the cylinder. i a V The cam mechanism just described provides a circular cam having members which form a high portion consisting of thecani pieces 21 and 22 and a low portion consisting of that much of the exposed portions of the rings 21 and 22 which lie between the remote ends of the cam pieces. The .ratio between the high and'low portions is varied by turning the pinion 26 and thereby causing the cam pieces to move 'inopposite'directions. The low portion may be reduced to zero by moving the cam pieces until they-rare on opposite sides of the cylinder and from a continuous circumferential high portion. When movedto position such that the two cam pieces lie side by side with their ends in register, the maximum low space iscreate'd. If the cam pieces are exactly half of the circumference, this maximum low space is a half circumference. It is desirable however to make the cam pieces less than a half circumference in length, thereby enabling thrPIO- vision of a low space longer than a half circumference. When such is the case, a fixed cam piece is provided on the cylinder 20 in a position alongside of the cam segments where it can bridge the space between the ends of the cam pieces when they are moved from then side by side positions to theirextreme positions as shown in the patent to Paquette, No. 1,848,970, previously referred to. In this manner a continuous full-circumference high cam portion may be obtained in one setting and a low portion lon er thanfla half circumference may be hadby another settln'g.

To restrain the cam pieces from movement beyond the point at which they give the de sired maximum high portion when they are moved thereto from their side by side position, and beyond the side by side position on their return thereto under reverse movement, stops are provided. These consists of pieces of thin metal. secured by screws to the drum, the screws extending through elongated holes in the stop pieces so that the stops may be adjusted circumferentially on the drum. One

stop 65 is secured to the-retaining ring 24: adjacent the cam segment21 and has an offset portion 66 lying over, the ring .21 in the path of the cam piece 21 and in such a position that it engages the trailing end of the latter when the cam segments are moved outwardly from their side by side position. The position determined by this stop gives the maximum high portion and, if the stopis properly set for the purpose, it gives a full circumference high portion which causes the yarn finger to be 22". It has an upturned portion 68 in the path of a pin 69 carried on the side face of the ring 21 The stop is set so that the pin strikes it when the cam pieces are in their side by side position then providing the maximum low space. This position is the one illustrated in Figure 9." When further movement of the cam segments is prevented by the stops, the driving mechanism'therefor may continue to operate. but it isrendered inefiective by the slip clutch which comesinto play under such conditions; 7 V i The manner in which the cam segments are movedoutward from and back to their side by side positions by the ratchet and its actuating pawls will be understood byconsidering the effect of a'succession of movements of the ,pivoted member 48 of one pawl and then of the pivoted member 54, 55 of'the otherpawl. As the member-48 is moved inwardly about its pivot'49 by a striker mechanism to be described, the pawl, guided by the pin 50, engages the ratchet and turns it. The spring 52 returns the pawl to its normal position.

The turning of the ratchet normally causes the worm shaft to turn because the friction connection between the ratchet and the inner collar 38 under pressure of the spring 43 and the screw 44 maintains the driving relation.

.Thus through the worm 32 and wheel 33 the pinion 26 is turned. Depending, of course, upon the direction ofthe thread on the worm 32, this turning causes either outward or backwardmovement of the cam segments but it Wlll be assumed here that the turning of the pinion causedby the pawl member 48 is such that it moves the cam segment outward from their side by side position in which the maximum low space is created toward the position forming a full-circumference high cam. The

opposite engagement of the pinion with the rackteeth on the two cam rings 21 and 22 is thecause of course,of the opposite movement of the cam segments.

" Movement of the other pawl, caused by rocking the arm 54 in a way which is yet to be described, causes the ratchet 40 to turn in the opposite direction since the pawl member 59 moves against the ratchet teeth in the opposite direction from thatof the other pawl.

The result is a reverse movement of the cam segments or a movement toward their side by. side or registering position. V

The stops 65 and67 limitthe permissive movements of the cam segments and prevent further relative movement between. them when they have established a predetermined ratio between the high and low portions regardless of whether or not the ratchet continues to be turned in a given direction after the stophas been reached. This is possible are " 9 hinge 47 and the pawl member 48, (3) in the because of the'fricti'on connection between'the ratchet 40, the driven member and the driving member, the worm shaft 34 affording a capability of slip. When movement of the cam segments is resisted, the ratchet slips on the collar '38 and turns ineffectively. A mechanism now to be described, operated from the main pattern chain 85, controls the cam mechanism'described above by selecting the pawl to be actuated and by determining the duration of the operative and the inoperative period of each pawl and the relation of these periods to the other operations of the machine in knittin-g the stocking. The selection of the pawl to be operative determines the direction of drive of the reversible mechanism described above forv effecting. relative movement 'between the members which form thehigh and low portions of the rotary cam.

It will'be recalled from the preceding description that the hinge 47 and pivoted member 48 of one pawl turn in a'plane parallel to but spaced from the plane in which the pivoted arm '54 turns, both being secured to the end of the cam drum 10. This permits selective actuation of them by moving a striker into their respective planes in position to engage them as they turn. This striker is a small lug 71 mounted fixedly on a horizontal rod 72 below and inside of the drum shaft 12. The striker rod is supported in the bracket 18 at one end and at the other end in a bushing 73 on the main frame of the machine and it is movable horizontally in these supports. A spring 74 tends to move the rod to the right in Figure 2. The horizontal movement enables the striker 71 to be put in any desired one of its three selective positions, viz. clear of the pawls, (2) in the path of the path of the pivoted pawl member 54.

The selection of the position which the striker 71 shall assume and the mechanism for moving it to such position are under control of the main pattern chain which is moved at regular intervals in correspondence with the knitting of predetermined numbers of courses. The mechanism for moving the chain in this manner may be of any suitable sort, e. g. that shown in the Scott Patent N 0. 1,152,850 referred to above.

A system of levers-is interposed between one end of the movable striker rod 72 and the chain, its part at the chain taking the form of a short finger 86 (Fig. 3) in the path of lugs on the chain. This finger is part of a lever'87 which is mounted on the cross rod 93 upon which the clutch slide 92 is supported as described in the Scott Patent 1,152,850. The finger 86 either rests against the chain to permit the rod 72 to assume its position putting the striker clear of the p'awls on the cam drum, (see Fig. 2),or it is moved by a low lug onthe chain to push the rod 72 over so that the striker is in the path of the pawl lever 54, 55 or, for a third position in which the striker is put in the path of the pawl 47, 48, the finger 86 is moved by a high lug on the chain 85.

According to the preferred way of controlling from the chain, the rocking lever 87 which is directly actuated by the chain lugs is the same member that controls a tucking attachment of a well known sort,-exemplified by the form shown in the Page Patent 1,367,425. This tucking attachment is a mechanism for varying the position of a clearing cam whereby to cause the needles to form tuck stitches when the pattern so dictates. Since this tucking is not commonly done at the same part of the stocking as that in which splicing of the sort with which this invention is particularly concerned is done, it is possible to use the same rocking lever to control both the tucking and the splicing attachments from the chain.

The tucking attachment comprises the rod 121, which moves the clearing cam, (not shown here but shown in the Page patent mentioned above) and which has pivoted at its lower end a latch 123 held by the spring 123 normally in engagement with the upper side 'of an arm 124 that is integral with the rocking lever 87. The reciprocating lever 125 actuated in the usual way by the quadrant (as described in the Page Patent 1,367,425) strikes a wire 126 depending from a stud 127 on the latch so that when a lug on the pattern chain lifts the rocking lever 87 the latch 123 can remain in engagement with the arm 124 of the then lifted lever 87 only until tripped by the reciprocatory lever 125. In this way the clearing cam is in action to cause tucking for a shorter time than that during which the pattern chain holds the lever 87 in lifted position.

To prevent the lever 87 from lifting the rod 121, and hence from moving the clearing cam at a time when it is desired to control the splicing from the chain by way of the lever 87, there is here provided a cam and an associated lever for moving. the latch 123 beyond the end of the arm 124 so that as the latter lifts, it will not engage the latch. Such a cam may be associated with any part of the machine which acts in a cycle corresponding to the cycle of knitting for one article. Thus the main pattern drum 120 may be used but it is convenient to use the pinion 122 that is mounted on the shaft 80 upon which the sprocket wheel for the pattern chain turns. This gear drives the main pattern drum 120 through a gear train of a well known arrangement ("described inthe ScottPatent, 1,152,850)

and turns once for each complete knitting cycle during which a stocking is formed. The mechanism for driving the gear 122 likewise is described in the aforementioned Scott patent.

On the side face of the pinion 122 is mount- 130 ed an arcuatecam 1 28. Aa wire 129 isiadjustably secured to the stud- 127 on the latch 123 and hasits lower end in'the path of the said cam. 'The' arrangement suchthat-the cam rides under the wire128aftenthe 'completion of that portion ofthe stocking in which tuck stitches aredsiredp-x'lhe result is that the latch is then swung outwardly and is held clear of thearm 124." Thereafter, the

lever 87 may be rocked by subsequently act striker rod 72, it. is of no consequence. The

slip clutch and the stops on the auxiliary drum 1O prevent..;over-running 'ofthe segments and, in any event',,the splicing yarn fingers are held'out of operation during that period by thelugs 501 'on=the main-pattern drum. a a

The levers for transferring the movements of the rod 87 to the rod 72 maybe of any suitable arrangement. When the 'arm1h8 7 is rocked by a lugon the chain, it swingsthe' arm 94 outwardly, this lar'ma being v an? extension of the arm 124; that moves the1lever121; for the clearing cam. The arinf94 inturni swings the freely mounted spindle 96 by means of a lever fixed thereon andthus causes a swinging of. the lever97 which turns with the spindle and, being inengag'ement with the end of the rod 72', moves it to put the strikerin its operative position. 1 1. y v

An 1 alternative form is; shown in Fig. 4. The lugsare put-on one side of the chain and act directlynupon a' rod 98which is slidableinbrackets 99 fixed on the'frame Aand on the machine-frame, and isurgedtoward the chain by a springe-1O1;.1.IrI f -Idesired,'a bracing guide may beput' on the opposite side of the chain tokeep it in line withthe rod 98 and to preventi'ts being moved by said rod. Themovement of the rod 98 is transferred to the striker shaft 72-byalever -102 which turns on a pivot 103 on theframe A and which hasa curved end 104 in engage ment with the end of the striker shaft 72;

By the above described control fro m the pattern chain, frequent changes may be made in thexshape' of the' spliced areaas illustrated in Fig. 5. The splicing may'take place in any par-t of the article being knit since the movementso'f the spattern chain take place at regular intervals throughout the knitting of the article. A high lug on the chain causes the low'portion of the rotary] cam to be decreased,"hence itfcau'sesa nar rowing of the spliced "area through succes' 'sive courses. A low lugcreates the opposite conditionthe low portion" of the cam is increased andwthe' spliced area is widened. When there is no lug engaging the finger 86 (or the rod 98, Fig. 4) the ratio between the high and low p'ortions is unchanged and the widthofthe spliced area is constant through successive. courses. The relative positions of lugs onzthe chainthereforedetermines the variation of the-width of the spliced-area. H

As shownin Fig. 5, a stepped highsplice S may be made in which the steps are of gradually increasing size. The sides of the steps may be diagonal or not as desired. It ispos siblexalsoto narrow the spliced part S of the" solefl'and thusfefiectxa saving of yarn since itisnot necessary'that the spliced area in the sole be aswide through the instep as itcommonly is fmade in seamless hose. If desired the edges of the spliced sole may be scalloped by gradually narrowingand wide ening the splice successively. Aswill be apparent the shape of ithespliced area may be varied extensively due to many possible com binations'of' converging and diverging areas and straight sided areas,'and due' toithe fact that the: changes from one shape to another maybe frequentx W It iwilllbe understood that during reciprocatory knitting when the heel pocket is being formed, the'splicing yarn finger F' is held: out 'of feeding position by the action o'fthe lug 501 of the .main pattern drum on the? thrust r0d 460... This'is done in the usual. manner. "The striker 71-may be put invits' neutral position 2 during this period and thereafter may beput in the path of the pawl. 47', 48 by ahigh lugjust a's the ca-m lug 50L moves away from under thethrust 1 rod 460 to :permit the splicing yarn finger to feed his again. This enables'the" production of the gradually narrowing spliced areain the sole toward thei'nstep.= I 1 a It the stop .67 is set so that the pin '69-on the movable cam segment 21a engages .i't dur ing the knitting of. the last ,coursewinrthe highsplice above the heel; it is not'nec'essary toz-put the striker-in neutral positionduring theknitting of 'the heel. Once a stop is re'a'chedthe drive mechanism of-the cam becomes inefl'ective'fdu'e to thefslipclutch 38.- This may be availed of'to prevent change of thesettiing of the cam while the heel is beingmadeand then when the heelisacompleted they drive mechanism may be reversed by a, change to a high lug onthe chain. The low lug causes a decrease in the high portionvof the cam son-that the gradually narrowing spliced area'maybe knit in the sole. 1

The stop and tithe friction clutch areip'artic ularly useful in connection withja sup-V which make s it certain thatwhen thearea to be splicedis reached; inthe course'ofn knit ting an article, the rotary cam10 will have" fplementary control, now to be described;

the correct ratio between-its high and low portions to begin the splice with the width desired. The common practice is to'begin thesplice with a taper, hence the cam drum :should beso set that a .full circumference high portion is'formed just priorto the bee ginning of the splicing: 'The' splice usually ends with a portion of full width which makesit necessary to reversethe drive-mechanism of the cam and to restore the: full circumference high portion before. the next splicedarea is tobe' knit.'- V i "It also sometimes happens that, after a.- spliced area is partly made some" defect will he created which makes: it necessary to dciscard the partly formed article and to legilra new one; If the machine were; reset toput it in condition: for beginning a new article without re-setting, the rotary cam drunr the latter would start the-splice in the new'article atfthe width: at which the. old one was" being spliced when removed. The supplementary control prevents. such a-happening and makes it'unnecessaryto reset, the cam drum? manuall-y. It al'sotakes careof the resetting-tot the cam drum in the interim between the: splicof one full article and: another'whenr the last part of the splice in the articles is of different width. from that of the: firstppart.

The mechanism for this purpose consists ot a lug 106 on the main pattern drum and an associated? set ofIevers-for putting: the striker iirthe' path of the pawL 47, 48 tomoeethe; cam members to their fully extended position forming a full circumference high portion. This Fug is so: positioned that it moves the striker to thispos-ition farenoughiir advance of the knitting of the spliced area to insure the formation of the: full: circumference high well: beforerthe: chain control; comes into operation to" effect the splicing. The stop halts the'cam segmentsin the desired position for initiating the splicing and. this position is belch until the splicingyarm finger is dropped: to: feeding position in the-knnwn manner, whereupon the chain. lugs come into control; The samerresult may he eflected by arranging high cams: in succession cm a part of the chain which passes the finger 86 (501' the rod 98) ahead of the lugs which control: the camid'mm duringthe splicing peribd The levers operated by'the' lug 106 on the pattern drum to move the strikerrod consist of are rocker 107 which carries the finger 108 directly engaged bythe lug 106, and a reverse motion lever set which translates the movement of the rocker'107 into movement of the striker rod. This reverse motion set comprises a hell crank lever I09 pivoted 0n,- the bracket 18' so that one armof it rests in a slot 111 in the end of the. striker rod" 72, while. its other arm extends horizont'aIly andiis: pivoted to the link 110 which. is secured to. one endof the rocker I07. f 1

"The mechanism herein described for associationwith an adjustable rotary cam gives a flexible control enabling'the production of spliced areas in any part of the article and withfrequent changes of width. It is capable of variation indetail within the fair scope of the following claims.

' I claim- '1. Ina circular knitting machine having needles; yarn: fingers including a splicing yarn fingeig'apattern drum determining the active period of said splicing finger and a pattern. chain moved. in correspondence with the knitting of the courses, said chain con the movement ofsaiddr'uinya rotary cam ham'ngihigh and ldw portions for determining theextent of a course through which splicingyarnis fed thereto, said. cam being adj'u'stableto vary theieifective ratio between said high and low portions; and means controlled by saidqpatternl chain for, adjusting saidi cam;

2:) a circular knitting machine having needles; yarn fingers; including a splicing yarn finger; a pattern drum determining the active? period of said splicing finger and a pattern chain moved in correspondence-With the knitting of the courses said chain con trolling the movement ofsaiil drum, a rotary cam having members. forming high and low portions determining; the: extent of a course through; which: splicing yarn. is fed thereto, a mechanisnr for effecting relative movement between saidnmemhers to vary the ratio betweensaid high andlow portions and means cimtrolled by" said pattern chain for determining the'o'perative andin'operative periods 01% said mechanisirnl 3. In a: circular hittingmachine having needles, yarn fingers: including a splicing yam fingen a pattern drunr determining the active period of. said splicing finger, and: a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the courses and controlling the racking or said pattermdrum, a rotary cam having members forming high and: low portions for determiningther'cxtent of a course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, a reversible drive mechanism for efiectingrelative movement. between said: members to increase and to deereaserfthe: ratio between said portions, and means controlled by said pattein chain for determining the direction of drive of said mechanism and its operative andiinopera'tive periods 4.. In an circular knitting machine having needles,. yarn: fingers including: a splicing yarn finger,. a pattern drum: determining the active period of. said splicing finger; and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the of the courses and controlling the racking of said pattern drum a rotary cam having high and low portions for detciimining the extent ofia course through. which splicing yarn is fed thereto, said cam being adjustable to vary the ratio between said high and low portions, and means controlled by said pattern chain for adjusting said cam to vary the width of the spliced area, together with supplementary means to establish a predetermined ratio between said portions befort said chain controlled means comes into operation to control the splicing.

5. In a. circular knitting machine having needles, yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the courses, a rotary cam having high and low portions for determining the extent of a course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, said cam being adjustable to vary the ratio between said high and low portions, and means controlled by said pattern chain for adjusting said cam to vary the width of the spliced area, together with a pattern drum and means controlled thereby for establishing a predetermined ratio between said portions before said chain controlled means ,3 comes into operation to control the splicing.

6. In a circular knitting machine having needles, yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, a pattern drum determining the effective period of said splicing finger and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the courses, and controlling,

the racking of said pattern drum, a rotary cam having members forming high and low portions for determining the extent of a i course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, a reversible drive mechanism for effecting relative movement between said members to increase and to decrease the ratio between said portions, and means controlled by said pattern chain for determining the direction of drive of said mechanism.

7. In a circular knitting machine having needles, yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, a pattern drum determining the .7 efiective period of said splicing finger and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the courses, and controlling the racking of said pattern drum, a rotary cam having high and low portions for determining the extent of a course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, said cam being adjustable to vary the ratio between said high and low portions and having means to limit the adjustability at points establishing predetermined ratios between said portions, and

means controlled by said pattern chain for adjusting said cam, together with supplementary means co-operating with said limit means to establish a predetermined ratio between said portions before said chain controlled means comes into operation to control the splicing.

8. In a circular knitting machine having needles, yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with :the knitting of the courses, a rotary cam having high and'low portions for determiningthe extent of a course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, said cam'being"adjustable to vary the ratio between" said high and lowpor tions and having means to limit the adjustability at points establishing predetermined ratios between said portions. andmeans controlled'bysaid pattern chain for adjusting said cam, together with a pattern'drum and means controlled thereby for establishing a predetermined ratio between said portions before said chain controlled means comes into operation to control the splicing.

9. In acircular knitting machine having needles, yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the courses, a rotary cam having members forming high and lowportions for determining the extent of a course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, a mechanism for effecting relative movement between said members to vary the ratio between said high and low portions, stops for limiting the permissive relative movement between said members, means for rendering vsaid mechanism ineffective for varying said ratio when said stops function, and means controlled by said pattern chain for determining the operative and inoperative periods of said mechanism, together with supplementary means to establish a predetermined ratio between said portions before said chain controlled means E9 comes into operation to control the splicing.

10. In a circular knitting machine having needles, yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, and a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the 9 courses. a rotary cam having members forming high and low portions for determining the extent of a course through which splicing yarn is fed thereto, a mechanism for effecting relative movement between said mem- 1 10 bers to vary the ratio between said high and low portions, stops for limiting the permissive relative movement between said members. means for rendering said mechanism ineffective for varving said ratio when said stops function. and means controlled by said pattern chain for determining the operative and inoperative periods of said mechanism, together with a pattern drum and means controlled thereby for establishing a predetermined ratio between said portions before said chain controlled means come into operation to control the splicing.

11. In a circular knitting machine having needles. yarn fingers including a splicing yarn finger, a pattern chain moved in correspondence with the knitting of the courses, a clearing cam and mechanism including a member acted on by said chain for moving said cam from a plain knitting posi- 8 tion to -tuck producing position with respect to the needles, thecombination of a mechainism controlled from the chain by said mem be: for varying the extent of a course; through which splicing yarn is. and means for freeing said clearing cam mechanism from control by the chain at a predeterminmi point in the knitting cycle to permit the chain to control the splicing.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. ALBERT E. PAGE. 

